Sony has announced that Dungeon Defenders 2 will officially launch on September 29 on the PlayStation 4, but it's coming as a paid pre-alpha.
This means that Dungeon Defenders 2 is still in development and could have some glitches, in addition to lacking some features that the final version may have to offer.
"Please note that Dungeon Defenders II is still under development!" notes developer Trendy Entertainment in a new announcement on the PlayStation Blog. "During this time, some features, like local co-op and controller support, will be ahead of the PC version, but other features and content will be rolling in after they are released on PC."
Dungeon Defenders 2 will eventually launch as a free-to-play game, making its money from "ethical microtransactions," but PS4 owners who want to be among the first to try it out will have to pay for the privilege.
Starting on September 29, fans will be able to purchase three different bundles with in-game content worth $15, $25 or $75, if they want to access the title in this Alpha state. Neither Sony nor Trendy offered any specific details on when the full release will be ready.
Dungeon Defenders 2 became available on Steam Early Access back in December 2014, also as an in-development version, but it's only now making its way to the PS4 as a paid pre-alpha. Unlike the PC version of the game, the PS4 version of Dungeon Defenders 2 will boast controller support, as well as a local co-op game mode for two players.
Sony is not the only one to offer pre-alpha access and this business model seems to be on the rise. Steam was among the first distributors to adopt this strategy, launching its Steam Early Access paid alpha program. Microsoft recently unveiled its own paid alpha system as well, introducing the Xbox Game Preview.
Dungeon Defenders 2 pre-alpha access will be immediately available on September 29 to all fans who buy one of the currency bundles.
It's also worth pointing out that players should be able to redeem their Defense Council rewards either on PC or the PS4 at launch, but not on both. Trendy Entertainment designer and marketing director Philip Asher says the company doesn't have any plans yet to support account transfers from the PC to PS4, but may be interested in this aspect after the game's release. In the meantime, check out the video below to get an early look at Dungeon Defenders 2 for the Sony PlayStation 4.
